Field
This disclosure relates generally to processing systems with communication interfaces, and more specifically, to processing systems with an interface that is configurable to communicate serial or pulse width modulation data.
Related Art
As semiconductor technology develops, the size of electronic devices such as transistors is ever-decreasing. At the same time, the capability of processing systems is ever-increasing, placing increasing demands on the number and types of devices with which a processing system can communicate. Yet, as the size of the processing systems decrease, the number of pins or contacts on the external packaging of the processing systems is decreasing, forcing the pins to be shared among interfaces. For example, some types of data may be communicated in a serial format and other types of data may be communicated in a pulse width modulated (PWM) or pulse duration modulation (PDM) format. In some cases, a particular pin may be connectable to either serial or PWM interface circuitry, depending on the application as determined by the purchaser of the processing system. While the circuitry for both types of interfaces is supplied with the device, the interface circuitry that is not required for the particular application goes unused, taking up costly space, complicating routing and multiplexing, and unnecessarily increasing the cost of manufacturing the processing system. This is particularly true when a large number of interfaces are required.